


space cadet

by triforced



Category: Haikyuu!!
Genre: Fluff, Humor, M/M, Shimada is the keeper of wisdom, Tsukki has a nice neck, dumb boys
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-04-26
Updated: 2016-04-26
Packaged: 2018-06-04 16:23:54
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,413
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6665794
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/triforced/pseuds/triforced
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>When Yamaguchi realizes his feelings for his best friend have undergone a swift and sudden change, it hits him like at least ten bricks to the face.</p>
            </blockquote>





	space cadet

When Yamaguchi realizes his feelings for his best friend have undergone a swift and sudden change, it hits him like at least ten bricks to the face.

That's a lot of bricks.

It happens in the bath one evening, when he is not thinking about anything in particular aside from his serve, and how he had a really good day at practice this time around but he needs to keep that momentum, needs to do well again tomorrow, show some consistency. Yeah, consistency, he'll become a solid, dependable server, if he just continues to work hard and -

And.

Tsukki's form was on point today. Coach even praised him (which gave Yamaguchi a warm tingle in his chest). He looked - he looked -

Amazing. Tall and lean and skilled and blonde and perfect -

Sitting there in the water, his arms wrapped around his knees, Yamaguchi blinks twice. He stares at the tiled wall, but his eyes won't focus so he blinks a third time, hard, squeezes his eyes shut before he opens them again. Nothing magical happens, he's still a fifteen-year-old kid in a bathtub, but he's a fifteen-year-old kid in a bathtub who just had a few crazy thoughts about someone he's been friends with for years. And now that he's had those thoughts, he can't seem to think about anything _else_.

"I like Tsukki," he says in a daze, quietly, though his voice seems to echo through the entire room, seems to bounce off the walls and ring in his ears and he wonders if the world at large heard his confession.

He stays in the tub until the skin of his fingers is pruned. He goes through his nightly routine on autopilot and when he flops into bed, he picks absently at a loose thread in his blanket rather than try to fall asleep. His brain won't shut off, anyway, too busy swirling around with Tsukki - how he looks when he's listening to a favorite song, his eyes closed, his features relaxed, fingers lightly tapping a rythm on his desk or his knee or the arm of a chair. The sweep of his hair across his forehead. The way his glasses sit on his face. His long, long neck.

Oh no.

He really does like Tsukki. A lot. He's pretty sure it isn't normal to want to nuzzle your nose against your friend's neck and kiss it while he makes small, breathy sounds -

And now Yamaguchi's deciding what kinds of sounds Tsukki would make, apparently.

He is in serious trouble.

***

Yamaguchi gets next to no sleep that night, and he goes to school a veritable zombie the following day. His eyes burn and his head is fuzzy and he has no idea how he is going to slog through class without sliding out of his chair in an undignified heap on the floor. Of course, this changes as soon as he meets up with Tsukki. His back straightens and he snaps to attention like he downed three energy shots at once. Nervous energy. He wants to throw up. He wants to run to the toilet right this second and puke his guts out (this must be how Hinata feels when he suffers a case of the nerves). But then Tsukki falls into step beside him. It's happening. Life is happening, full steam ahead. He'd like his heart not to pound out of his chest, though.

"Hey," Tsukki says, the way he would any other morning.

"Hey!" Yamaguchi says, the way _he_ would any other morning. "Did you sleep well?"

"...I guess." Tsukki stifles a yawn behind his hand. Yamaguchi pretends he isn't paying as close attention as he is. Tsukki even yawns attractively. Which should be impossible. "You're too chipper. It makes me tired just to look at you."

"It's my job to be the morning person between the two of us," Yamaguchi says with what he hopes is a good-natured smile and not an 'I just learned I like you so much I want to die' smile. His stomach sinks to his feet when Tsukki gives him an odd look in return. Maybe he wasn't so successful, after all.

"Those are some huge bags under your eyes."

Phew. Safe. "Oh...yeah." He rubs the back of his head sheepishly.

"Hm." Tsukki raises both of his eyebrows, leans in so close Yamaguchi almost takes a step back. For his own well being. His heart is about to explode, even if he knows, he _knows_ Tsukki doesn't mean anything by it. They're only friends, and this is how they act around each other. "Were you up late looking at porn, Yamaguchi?"

"Wh - what? No!" Yamaguchi splutters, his face positively on fire. "Tsukki! I - don't - no way! I just couldn't sleep!"

But Tsukki is grinning out of the corner of his mouth, because he knew that already.

Jerk.

Yamaguchi wants to kiss him.

***

Practice goes poorly, as he suspected it would. He misses all but three of his serves, and the ones he makes aren't that stellar, either. He's done better, can do better. He will do better.

He visits Shimada Mart afterward and stays late, telling himself not to be distracted by anything, least of all Tsukki, his best _friend_.

(Maybe, if he recites this enough, he'll make it true.)

His efforts are somewhat successful.

Somewhat.

***

Before, when girls would corner him about Tsukki - they always wanted to talk about Tsukki, they always asked if he had a girlfriend or what his favorite snack was or what his favorite sweet was or what music he liked or if Yamaguchi could just pass this note on for them, please - he'd feel a crushing sense of disappointment and a tinge of jealousy, because he wasn't the sort of guy that girls liked and wanted to talk to for his own merits. They liked Tsukki, of course they liked Tsukki, how could they not? He was the quintessential cool guy and Yamaguchi always sang his praises since he thought so, too.

Now, when girls corner him about Tsukki, he still feels crushing disappointment and a tinge of jealousy, but the reasons why are different.

They're allowed to like Tsukki, they're allowed to try and catch his attention (even if they're destined for failure), they're allowed to whisper about him and giggle and write him notes and ask Yamaguchi question after question because they want to know more, they want insight only he can provide.

Yamaguchi isn't allowed. Tsukki deserves better from him than a stupid...whatever this is, and Yamaguchi cares too much about their friendship to risk wrecking it. They've gone through a lot together and they stuck by each other and sure, maybe they do things a little differently than some friends but there's not a single thing Yamaguchi would trade. If he lost that - well, he doesn't even want to think about it.

Still.

When the girls ask, he wishes he can tell them no, Tsukki doesn't have a girlfriend. He's with me.

***

Yamaguchi doesn't know how much longer he can hold his dirty rotten secret in. He's bursting at the seams, liable to fly apart at any given moment.

It might be easier if he and Tsukki weren't joined together at the hip, just about. They're in the same class, they sit next to each other at lunch, they go to practice, they walk home, they study at each other's houses. Yamaguchi's respite is Shimada Mart, and he's started to take advantage of it as often as he can get away with while hoping Shimada-san doesn't decide he's tired of seeing Yamaguchi around (he hasn't so far). If he notices, Tsukki doesn't comment, merely shrugs and flips his headphones up over his ears when Yamaguchi tells him he has stuff to do, see you tomorrow.

The problem isn't Tsukki.

The problem is Yamaguchi.

"Let's take a break, Tadashi. Come here, have a seat." Shimada-san sits down on the bench out behind Shimada Mart, pats the spot next to him. Yamaguchi sighs and joins him, his forearms on his thighs, his feet splayed out in front of him. He blows an errant piece of hair out of his eyes. Shimada-san pats him on the shoulder. "So. Why don't you tell me what's going on with you."

The color drains from Yamaguchi's face, but at least he has the dark to hide behind in that respect. "I - there's - nothing," he mumbles unconvincingly.

Shimada-san is not convinced. "Did you have a fight with your friend? Tsukishima, right?"

What is he supposed to say? No, we did not have a fight, I was in the bath one day and I realized I desperately want to put my tongue in Tsukki's mouth? Also he has a ridiculous neck, it's so long and ready to be kissed and I think I'm the perfect person to kiss it, the thought of anybody else doing that makes me want to throw a few heavy objects through glass, thank you, Shimada-san. He means well, though, and Yamaguchi feels he owes him a better explanation than a few stilted words. "Tsukki's fine. We're fine, I've just been distracted... Ah, I'm sorry, Shimada-san! I hope you don't think I've wasted your time - "

"Of course not, you always work hard, even when you're 'distracted,' like you said." Shimada-san smiles as if he knows something Yamaguchi doesn't. He looks Yamaguchi dead in the eyes. "If you like somebody, you should tell them. Don't hold back because you feel you aren't as good as other guys. You're a fighter, Tadashi."

He's blushing so hard he's surprised his face hasn't melted off. Is he really so transparent? This is bad, but he may as well press forward. He trusts Shimada-san and he knows whatever he says will stay between them. "What if they don't like me back? Not that I like someone!" he adds quickly. "But if I did."

"Then at least you'll know, and you can move on. I've had plenty of crushes and rejections in my day. They're survivable, I promise."

Yamaguchi smiles weakly. Tsukki isn't the same as volleyball. If Yamaguchi messes this up, he can't practice until he smooths the problems out. Tsukki isn't merely an average crush, either. He's Yamaguchi's friend. His best friend. "Yeah..."

Shimada-san chuckles, says "Ah, youth," under his breath, and stands. "All right, back to the grind."

Yamaguchi serves like a match depends on him.

***

They are studying at Tsukki's house, both engaged in their essays. Every now and then, Yamaguchi looks up, looks over at Tsukki - he's just peeking at what Tsukki's writing about, that's all, he's just appreciating the...sentence structure, the syntax, the cadence of his words. He's not focused on Tsukki's neck or the blonde hair that curls over the nape, or whatever.

This fascination with Tsukki's neck is an issue (on top of all his other issues). Put that away, he wants to tell him, it's an illegal weapon. Contraband.

"Yamaguchi, I feel your eyes on me."

He nearly jumps out of his own skin - his pencil goes flying and pings against the far wall. Yamaguchi scrambles up to retrieve it, forced laughter at his clumsiness on his lips. Maybe his body will turn liquid like some mutant superpower and he can seep through the floorboards, make his escape.

He kneels back down, pencil in hand. "Whoops," he says. His heart leaps to his throat when he sees Tsukki is staring at him, chin propped on his palm.

"What's with you?"

Gulp. "Nothing?"

The stare intensifies to the point where Yamaguchi can feel it in his bones. Neither of them speak for a while, which allows the tension to grow. Just when Yamaguchi is convinced he's about to explode, Tsukki opens his mouth. "I feel your eyes on me all the time."

Yamaguchi preferred the tension. "Y - you're crazy, I don't know what - "

"Yeah, you do." Tsukki lowers his hand, leans in just a bit (his neck is so long). Their noses would touch, if Yamaguchi leaned in, too. "Well?"

System failure. Yamaguchi needs a reset. His mouth is dry as sandpaper. He feels his palms begin to sweat; he wipes them on his pants. Licks his lips. There goes his heart, a speedy, heavy thud in his chest. "Well - " He clears his throat. "Well, what? Tsukki..."

His friend, his best friend, rolls his eyes. "Fine, I'll do it," he says, and closes the scant distance between them, presses their mouths together.

The kiss is over before Yamaguchi can close his eyes, though he wouldn't have been able to, anyhow, every part of him is frozen and he has no idea if he's awake or asleep, if he's lucid or stuck in a dream. The kiss. _Tsukki kissed him._ He kissed him and Yamaguchi didn't have to say a word. Quite abruptly, his limbs thaw out and before he can think, he leans back in, bumps his lips against Tsukki's again, holds them there because what else are you supposed to do, maybe he should move it, move his mouth? He does, he tilts his head and Tsukki responds, Tsukki moves his mouth, too, kisses him back. Somehow, they come up with a fumbling approximation of a kiss and it's the best thing Yamaguchi has ever experienced in his life.

Once they pull away, flushed and mussed, Tsukki puts his glasses back on - at some point, he'd taken them off. He runs his hands through his hair, picks up his pencil. "Don't stare at me while I finish this," he says as he returns his attention to his essay.

Still floating along like a space cadet, Yamaguchi blinks. "What?"

"I'll kick you out if you do, Yamaguchi."

Yamaguchi knows he means what he says, so he keeps quiet and doesn't stare, even though he really, really wants to. They'll talk about the kiss soon, maybe. Hopefully.

***

They talk about it a couple hours later, after a lot more kissing.

"How did you know?" Yamaguchi says as he nuzzles his nose against Tsukki's neck, moves his lips up and down the long line of it. Tsukki does make small, breathy sounds, much to Yamaguchi's pleasure.

"Don't - " Tsukki draws in a sharp breath when Yamaguchi pauses by his ear. " - ask stupid questions."

"Tsuuu - kki."

"No, shut up."

"Tsuuuuuuuukkiiiiiiiiiiiii - "

"Yamaguchi, I swear to - if you leave a mark on my neck I will never let you near it again."

He leaves no marks.

***

When girls ask him whether or not Tsukki has a girlfriend, Yamaguchi smiles.

**Author's Note:**

> Surely you can't have more ideas, I say, as I write more, because this is my life now. 
> 
> I hope you all enjoyed. <3


End file.
